Nautilus Resort & Spa
A beachfront property situated in a popular part of the island, complete with a daily breakfast buffet of fresh pastries and fruits. What more can you really ask for?
On our second trip back to Cook Islands, we opted to stay at Nautilus Resort and Spa, after glamping with Ikurangi prior. It was nice to have the contrast between an eco retreat (from our previous trip) to something a little more luxurious.
What I adored about Nautilus was the fact that our villa reminded me of Bali. The wood accents and private pool were such a treat in our Garden Are’, except that the rain decided to join us 2 of the 3 days we were on the property. Despite the damper in our plans of laying out on the beach, we decided to embrace and do what the locals do during this time — go swimming in the rain! It was actually quite fun and since Rarotonga is a tropical destination, it wasn’t cold either.
Our room had a small kitchenette with a sink, mini fridge, and microwave. A decent sized closet, comfy robes and slippers were included. The bathroom does include a his and her sink, shower and deep tub. There is also an outdoor shower on the front patio as well. The bed was comfortable and I loved that there was plenty of space for two people.
The infinity pool on the property is gorgeous and looks out to the beach, however I always prefer a bit of privacy and used our own pool during the stay. Kayaks and paddle boards are available for guests. On a sunny day, you can see right through the water.
The restaurant on-site provides breakfast, lunch, and dinner, however because you’re in Muri, there is usually a lot of food options so I suggest venturing out after breakfast.
The 3 things we really liked about Nautilus were:
Spacious villas with lots of amenities to enjoy
Daily breakfast buffet had great selections and you can also order off the menu (for an extra cost)
Location is great and the property is beachfront
However, there are a few things to note:
The spa was disappointing in regards to decor/looks. It is basically a small room with massage tables and doesn’t match the rest of the resort, which feels luxurious. The massage itself was OK. I recommend going to Rumors for their couples massage.
Due to the heavy rain, bugs often tend to go inside and therefore we had some visitors during both nights of our stay. The staff attempted to take care of it, but I’m sure it’s hard to locate them during the day so I was bit more weary than normal sleeping at night. However, no bug bites or anything major occurred other than their sighting. This can honestly happen anywhere and management ensured we were fine right after being notified.
Overall, Nautilus is a great choice for those who want more privacy and space. We had a comfortable stay and enjoyed being in Muri. Only wish we were able to take advantage of the amenities more, but no one has control of the weather so guess we’ll try next trip!
